GRAMMAR | Homonyms - Word Pairs - Apostrophe - Its/It's - Whose/Who's - Your/You're

Confusing Word Pairs

In addition to the true homonyms, there are some other word pairs that people often mistake. Do you get some of these words mixed  up when you write? Test your knowledge! (Reload the page for a new question.) 

Below you will find a list of some of the word pairs that cause people the most trouble. In order to choose which word is correct, you have to know what each word means. If you are  not sure about the meanings of these words, you can use the Firefox Dictionary plugin to click on a work and look up its meaning. Another great place to get help with these words is at the Common Errors in English website.

• A - AN
• ACCEPT - EXCEPT
• ADVICE - ADVISE
• AFFECT - EFFECT
• ALLEY - ALLY
  
• ANGEL - ANGLE
• APART - A  PART
• AWHILE - A WHILE
• BATH - BATHE
• BELIEF - BELIEVE
• BREATH - BREATHE
• CAPITAL - CAPITOL
• CHOSE - CHOOSE
• CLOTH - CLOTHE
• COMPLEMENT - COMPLIMENT
• COUNCIL - COUNSEL
• COURTESY - CURSTY
• DECENT - DESCENT (not pronounced the same: DE-cent, "appropriate," but de-SCENT, "going down")
• DEFIANTLY - DEFINITELY (these words really do not sound alike, but often people misspell definitely as "definately" - and then the spellchecker will offer you "defiantly" as an option... but it is a different word entirely!)
• DESERT - DESSERT (and don't forget: JUST DESERTS)
• DISCUS - DISCUSS (not pronounced the same: DIS-cus, the object you throw, and dis-CUSS, "talk about something")
• DUAL- DUEL
• EVERY DAY - EVERYDAY
• EXCEPT - ACCEPT
• FAZE - PHASE
• HOARD - HORDE
• IN TO - INTO
• KNICK - NICK
• LAY (LAID) - LIE (LAY) - LIE (LIED)
• LEAD (LED) - LEAD
• LIGHTENING - LIGHTNING
• LOOSE - LOSE - LOSS
• MAYBE - MAY BE
• MINUET - MINUTE
• NICK - KNICK
• ON TO - ONTO
• PHASE - FAZE
• PICTURE - PITCHER
• POSSES - POSSESS: "posses" is the plural of the noun "posse" - but "possess" is a verb.
• PRINCIPLE - PRINCIPAL
• QUIET - QUITE
• RETCHED - WRETCHED - not pronounced quite the same: retch't and wretch-ed
• SET - SIT
• SOMETIME - SOME TIME
• THAN - THEN - THIN
• USE - USED: You use tools to get a job done - but you "used to" do things in the past.
• WAIVER - WAVER
• WANDER - WONDER
• WERE - WHERE
• WHINING - WINING - WINNING
• WOMAN - WOMEN
• WRETCHED - RETCHED - not pronounced quite the same: retch't and wretch-ed